Method to evaluate the cleaning performance of brush cleaners in an electrophotographic printer

Abstract

A method for measuring a width of a contact zone between a surface, having movement, and a cleaner brush, having a detoning member, the surface having a toner image thereon, the contact zone having particles of the toner image removed from the surface, 'comprising the steps of developing the toner image on the surface, the toner image having sufficient width to overlap the cleaner brush; moving the toner image into direct alignment with the cleaner brush; stopping the movement of the surface; rotating the cleaner brush against the surface to remove the toner image from the surface in the contact zone; moving the toner image out of direct alignment with the cleaner brush; transferring the toner image from the surface onto a substrate; fusing the toner image on the substrate; measuring the entire width extending in the process direction of the cleaned areas; and converting the measurement of the width for diagnostic analysis and process control.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for measuring a width of a contact zone between a photoreceptor, having movement, and a non-retracting cleaner brush, having a detoning member, the photoreceptor having a toner image thereon, the contact zone having particles of the toner image removed from the photoreceptor, comprising: 
       developing the toner image on the surface, the toner image having sufficient width to overlap the cleaner brush;  
       moving the toner image into direct alignment with the cleaner brush;  
       stopping the movement of the photoreceptor and then resynchronizing to help get the image onto a substrate;  
       rotating the cleaner brush against the photoreceptor to remove the toner image from the photoreceptor in the contact zone;  
       moving the toner image out of direct alignment with the cleaner brush;  
       transferring the toner image from the photoreceptor onto the substrate;  
       fusing the toner image on said substrate;  
       measuring the entire width extending in the process direction of the cleaned areas on said fused image; and  
       converting the measurement of said width for diagnostic analysis and process control.  
     
     
       2. A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said measurement of the entire width is automatic. 
     
     
       3. A method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the step of measuring the entire width automatically comprises using a scanner to measure the entire width of said fused image. 
     
     
       4. A method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said scanning device comprises an optical sensor array. 
     
     
       5. A method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the step of using said scanning device comprises measuring the difference in reflectivity of said fused image between the areas on the substrate corresponding to the cleaned and non-cleaned areas of said image. 
     
     
       6. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of moving said toner image into direct alignment with said cleaner brush comprises the step of retracting said cleaner brush from said photoreceptor. 
     
     
       7. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of rotating said cleaner brush against said photoreceptor comprises the step of engaging said cleaner brush with said photoreceptor having said toner image thereon. 
     
     
       8. A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the step of moving said toner image out of direct alignment with said cleaner brush comprises the steps of: 
       retracting said cleaner brush away from contact with said photoreceptor; and  
       restarting movement of said photoreceptor to move said image out of direct alignment with said cleaner brush.  
     
     
       9. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of moving said toner image into direct alignment with said cleaner brush comprises the steps of: 
       stopping rotation of said cleaner brush; and  
       biasing said cleaner brush to the same polarity as said toner image to prevent removal of said toner image by said cleaner brush in a non-rotating mode.  
     
     
       10. A method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the step of rotating said cleaner brush against said photoreceptor comprises the steps of: 
       rotating said cleaner brush; and  
       removing the bias on said cleaner brush during rotation of said cleaner brush against said photoreceptor to remove said toner image in said contact zone.  
     
     
       11. A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the step of moving the toner image out of direct alignment with said cleaner brush comprises the steps of: 
       biasing said cleaner brush to the same polarity as said toner image; and  
       restarting movement of said photoreceptor to move said cleaner brush out of direct alignment with said image.  
     
     
       12. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of moving the toner image includes the step of stopping rotation of said cleaner brush. 
     
     
       13. A method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the step of rotating the cleaner brush against the photoreceptor comprises the step of disabling the detoning member adjacent to the cleaner brush for removing the particles cleaned from the photoreceptor, from the cleaner brush. 
     
     
       14. A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the step of moving the toner image out of direct alignment with the cleaner brush comprises brush the steps of: 
       stopping rotation of the cleaner brush; and  
       restarting movement of the photoreceptor to move the cleaner brush out of direct alignment with the image.